Articles in Anchorage
Dine Out for Equality with One Anchorage at Schlotzsky’s Deli
Join One Anchorage at Schlotzsky’s Deli (on Dimond Blvd next to the Red Robin) on Tuesday, November 8. 20% of all sales (walk-in or drive thru) will benefit One Anchorage!
The One Anchorage Campaign will place an initiative on the April 2012 municipal ballot in Anchorage to add sexual orientation and transgender identity to Anchorage’s equal rights code. This follows on an equal rights ordinance which passed the Anchorage Assembly in 2009 by a vote of 7–4, only to be vetoed by Mayor Dan Sullivan.
Help us show the buying power of One Anchorage. Spread the word — lets fill this place up!
- Date/time: Tuesday, November 8, 3:00-8:00 PM
- Location: Schlotzsky’s Deli, 321 E. Dimond Blvd, Anchorage, AK (see map)
- Further info: see Facebook events page
Healing Racism in Anchorage brings Brent Scarpo for anti-bullying film & workshop
Join Healing Racism in Anchorage (HRA) in welcoming renowned anti-bullying/anti-violence speaker and youth violent expert Brent Scarpo for his award-winning film Journey to a Hate-Free Millenium, a one-day workshop, and other events aimed at addressing bullying, violence,and racism. HRA is also offering a five-week course on building alliances to end racism in Anchorage.
Healing Racism in Anchorage steering committee member Steve Aufrecht wrote about Brent Scarpo recently on his blog What Do I Know? —
Brent was the casting director of The Shawshank Redemption (and other movies like That Thing You Do, Air Force One, and Matilda). Then he decided he wanted to make his own films and work on eradicating hate….
Brent has taken this so seriously, he dropped out of his successful Hollywood career so that he could concentrate on doing his part to help free people from hate and fear.
See Steve’s second post about Scarpo too: it includes a video of a Skype conversation the two held, in which Scarpo described a chance phone call from a college student that changed the direction of his life.
Scarpo’s focus now is on transforming people so they can deal with and de-fuse hate — particularly in the form of bullying, whether motivated by racism, sexism, homophobia, or other reasons.
Journey to a Hate Free Millenium is an award-winning documentary film which looks at the subject of hate and bullying as seen through the stories of the Columbine High School student shootings, the dragging death of African-American, James Byrd Jr from Jasper, Texas, and the murder of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard.
Scarpo’s presentation of the film kicks off a series of events sponsored by Healing Racism in Anchorage during Scarpo’s visit and continuing through December. On Tuesday, November 8, Scarpo will conduct a “Train the Trainers” workshop on addressing racism and hate, and he’ll also be speaking at a number of local community organizations, schools and businesses, discussing the origins of interpersonal hatred and how individuals can affect change in our community.
Healing Racism in Anchorage is also offering a five-week course, Building Alliances to End Racism, which is available for credit. The course begins Thursday, November 10 at and runs every Thursday through December 15 (except for Thanksgiving).
Journey to a Hate Free Millennium (film)
This documentary looks at the subject of hate and bullying as seen through the stories of the Columbine High School student shootings, the dragging death of African-American James Byrd Jr of Jasper, Texas and gay college student, Matthew Shepard of Laramie, Wyoming. The film has won over 25 film festival awards.
- Date/time: Monday, November 7, 7:00-9:00 PM
- Location: East Anchorage High School Auditorium, 4025 East Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK (see map)
- Cost of admission: Free
- Further info: see Facebook events page
“Train the Trainers” workshop
In this single-evening workshop, participants will:
- Gain at least one important insight into how racism works in the US;
- Understand the overlap between racism and bullying;
- Gain at least one practical tool that will help them deal with racist/bullying
incidents at work or in private life; - Leave with a plan for increasing their knowledge about racism/ bullying and for having an impact on decreasing racism/bullying in the next year; and
- Understand workplace violence and how to spot the signs of a possible incident.
Brent will engage participants interactively to help them meet their most pressing concerns. There is a limit of 30 participants.
Please contact Healing Racism in Anchorage at healingracism@gmail.com or (907) 561-3238 for information on the workshop and registration.
- Date/time: Tuesday, November 8, 5:30 to 9:00 PM
- Location: Credit Union One in Mountain View, 115 N. Bragaw St., Anchorage, AK (see map)
- Cost of admission:$50 in advance. Contact us at
healingracism@gmail.com for information and registration. - Further info: see Facebook events page
Building Alliances to End Racism (5-week course)
As part of Healing Racism in Anchorage‘s Fall 2011 event, join us for our credit course, Building Alliances to End Racism. This 5-week workshop will deepen your awareness of how racism affects you and what you can do to improve our society. You’ll learn how to be more sensitive to the experiences of others, how to unlearn racist patterns and how to move from awareness into action. This course will look closely at the topics of bullying and hate crimes and how they can be eliminated. This is a chance to build supportive relationships with other people who also care about racial justice.
Classes meet at the Anchorage School District building every Thursday between November 10 to December 15 (except for Thanksgiving!) Academic credit available.
- Date/time: Every Thursday between November 10 to December 15 (except for Thanksgiving!), 5:30 to 8:00 PM
- Location: Anchorage School District, 5530 E Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage (see map)
- Further info: see Facebook events page
“Out in the Silence”, award-winning docco on bullying & discrimination in smalltown America: Sunday at Out North
The United Gay-Straight Alliances of Anchorage are sponsoring a free showing on Sunday evening, November 6 of Out in the Silence, a 50-minute documentary which addresses bullying and discrimination against LGBT youth in rural and smalltown America. This is a free, all-ages event at Out North, though a donation of $3 at the door is suggested to help Anchorage GSAs develop anti-bullying initiatives in their schools.
Special thanks to The Family at UAA, Spectrum at APU, as well as Out North Contemporary Art House for their support as well as the many youth working to make this showing a success!
Out in the Silence captures the remarkable chain of events that unfold when a popular young jock is brutally bullied at his small town high school after he comes out as gay. The youth’s mother reaches out for help to the only person she feels she can trust — native son and filmmaker Joe Wilson, whose same-sex wedding announcement has already ignited a firestorm of controversy in the local paper. Returning home with camera in-hand, Wilson’s journey dramatically illustrates the challenges that remain for LGBT people in 21st century America and the potential for building bridges on this human rights issue when people with different opinions approach one another with openness and respect.
The aim of Out in the Silence is to expand public awareness about the difficulties that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people face in rural and small town America and to promote dialogue and action that will help people on all sides of the issues find common ground.
This is a community event and all ages, orientations, etc. are welcome to attend! There is a suggested $3 donation at the door, with all proceeds going to support Gay-Straight Alliances across Anchorage to develop anti-bullying initiatives within their schools.
- Date/time: Sunday, Nov 6, 7:00 to 9:00 PM
- Location: Out North Contemporary Art House, 3800 DeBarr Road Anchorage, AK (see map)
- Cost of admission: Free; suggested $3 donation at the door to benefit Anchorage-area Gay/Straight Alliances (GSAs).
- Further info: see Facebook events page, the Out in the Silence website, or the Out in the Silence Facebook page
Call for participants: Influences on LGBT Self-Identity research project
Heather Aronno of Alaska Commons is also a student at UAA, and is conducting a study on influences on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender self-identity. Please consider participating!
One Anchorage Boot Camp to be held Nov. 4–6
The One Anchorage Campaign to add LGBT equality to Anchorage’s equal rights code through an April 2012 ballot measure will hold a three-day Boot Camp on November 4–6 for committed One Anchorage volunteers.
The focus of the training will be on how to run a successful campaign, and will be led by the nationally respected L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center’s Leadership LAB. The training will be held from November 4–6 (Friday evening and during the day Saturday and Sunday), and is intended for anyone totally committed to One Anchorage and the success of this important equal rights campaign. One Anchorage needs you to attend all sessions, and become a super volunteer for the Campaign. The registration form is available on the Equality Works website.
There is no cost. One Anchorage will provide food and beverages. Please join in and help make One Anchorage a successful campaign!
- Date/time: Friday, November 4, 5:30 to 9:30 PM; Saturday, November 5, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM; Sunday, November 6, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Location: 1057 W. Fireweed Lane, Anchorage, AK (see map)
- Register: fill out the registration form and email or fax to Johnathan Jones at jjones@oneanchorage.com or 907.258.0288
- Further info: Equality Works website, One Anchorage website, or One Anchorage’s page on Facebook
Off the Page: Momentum Dance Collective at Out North this weekend & next
Momentum Dance Collective is a nonprofit contemporary dance company in Anchorage. Working with local Alaskan poets, Momentum choreographers will bring their ideas to the stage to take on a life in a three dimensional reality. This production will showcase the work of six choreographers, 13 poets and 18 dancers.
Through 13 short pieces, these poems will be expressed in a variety of ways; a theme for the movement, a mood for the soundtrack, or a visual image that defines the direction of the piece itself. A variety of poetry and dance forms will take the stage that touch on themes of recovery, circumstance, relationships, humanity, and love.
- Date/time: October 13-15 and October 20-22 at 8 PM
- Location: Out North Contemporary Art House, 3800 DeBarr Road, Anchorage, AK (see map)
- Cost of admission: $20 general $15 students/60+/military in advance via www.centertix.net. Or $25/$20 at the door.
- Further info: see Facebook events page or Momentum Dance’s website or Facebook page
Momentum Dance Collective created this reel of some of their moves — watch:
Occupy Wall Street movement spreads to Anchorage and Fairbanks
Bent Alaska’s news tweets over the past few days included a few about the Occupy Wall Street movement, which has now spread to cities nationwide — including Anchorage and Fairbanks. “Occupy” demonstrations were held in Anchorage last Wednesday, and in both Anchorage and Fairbanks on Saturday.
Alaska Pride Conference & Youth Summit 2011: October 14-16 in Anchorage
Alaska Pride Conference 2011 and the first-ever Alaska statewide GLBT Youth Summit (Alaska youth 14-18) focusing on youth issues in Alaska will be held October 14-16 in Anchorage.
Anchorage Town Hall 2 to be held Monday
The first Anchorage LGBTQA Town Hall in August was a resounding success. Now it’s time for a second one! Anchorage LGBTQA Town Hall 2 will be held Monday, October 3 at the A Street Event Hall.
Our purpose is community building & information sharing in the LGBTQA* community of Anchorage. Unlike our first meeting, we have no restrictions re: blogs/newsies writing about this meeting before, during, after.
The convenors for Town Hall 2 are Mel Green, Mary Elizabeth Rider, Maureen McGlone, Michael Mason, Doug Frank, Sara Gavit, Heather Aronno, John Aronno, and Marcia Barnes. Sara Gavit will facilitate the meeting.
On the agenda:
- An open forum.
- Introducing more of the groups and activities in our community, including: West High GSA, The Family at UAA, Grrlzlist, Bent Alaska, and a preview of Alaska Pride Conference 2011 to be held in mid-October.
- An update on the One Anchorage campaign from Trevor Storrs.
- Should we have more Town Halls? How often? What about? What would you want to discuss?
- Plus, an opportunity to connect & talk with each other.
We look forward to seeing you there!
(*LGBTQA = lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer/questioning, and non-LGBTQ allies).
- Date/time: Monday, October 3, 2011
- Location: A Street Event Hall, 637 A Street, Anchorage, AK (see map)
- RSVPs: We appreciate RSVPs but they’re not required. Spur of the moment decisions to attend are welcome!
- Further info: see Facebook event page or EventBrite event page. We can be reached by email at lgbtqapartnership@gmail.com, or see our Facebook group.
Thank you to Doug of the Kodiak Bar & Grill for allowing us to use this hall! Do you have an event you’d like to rent the A Street Event Hall for? Contact Doug at 727-1094.
Escape to Gilligan’s Island this Sunday with the 39th Emperor & Empress
Their Most Imperial Majesties, Denali Emperor Kevin Fawcett-Majors and Aurora Empress MariQuita of the Imperial Court of All alaska, invite every single one of you to:
Investitures of the 39th Reign:
ESCAPE to Gilligan’s Island!
Become a part of Reign 39: Will YOU be the next Prince of the Pribilofs? Earn your title! Buy your title! Bribe someone for a title! STEAL your title! It’s all in good fun! Costume contest: the winners get….A TITLE!
- Date/time: Sunday, October 2, 2011, 5:30 pm
- Location: Mad Myrna’s, 530 E. 5th Ave. in downtown Anchorage (see map)
- Cost of admission: $5 cover, with ALL proceeds benefiting the Imperial Court of All Alaska!
The Imperial Court of All Alaska (ICOAA) is an Alaska LGBTQA not-for-profit which over its lifetime has raised over a million dollars for scholarships and charity.